| Acknowledgements | 第1-5页 |
| Abstract | 第5-7页 |
| 摘要 | 第7-12页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第12-16页 |
| ·The Object of the Present Study | 第12-13页 |
| ·Objectives and Research Questions of the Study | 第13页 |
| ·Research Method and Data Collection | 第13-14页 |
| ·Rationale and Significance of the Research | 第14-15页 |
| ·Outline of the Thesis | 第15-16页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第16-29页 |
| ·Related Literature Review | 第16-23页 |
| ·Different Perspectives on Vague Language | 第16-18页 |
| ·Approaches to Vague Language | 第18-23页 |
| ·Source-Oriented Approach | 第18-21页 |
| ·Application-Oriented Approach | 第21-23页 |
| ·Problems Unsolved in the Existing Research | 第23-24页 |
| ·Terminological Issue | 第24-29页 |
| ·Understanding Vague Language | 第24-25页 |
| ·Vagueness and Fuzziness | 第25-26页 |
| ·Vagueness and Ambiguity | 第26-28页 |
| ·Vagueness and Generality | 第28-29页 |
| Chapter Three Description of the Conceptual Framework | 第29-41页 |
| ·Preview | 第29-30页 |
| ·A General Introduction of Verschueren's Linguistic Adaptation Theory | 第30-35页 |
| ·Three Properties of Language | 第30-31页 |
| ·The Four Tasks | 第31-35页 |
| ·The Role of Mental World | 第33-34页 |
| ·The Role of the Utterer and the Interpreter | 第34-35页 |
| ·News Report in the Light of LAT | 第35-38页 |
| ·News Report as Linguistic Communication | 第35页 |
| ·News Report as a Result of Linguistic Choice | 第35-36页 |
| ·News Report as Realization of Linguistic Adaptation | 第36页 |
| ·News Report as a Result of Language Planning | 第36-38页 |
| ·The Conceptual Framework | 第38-41页 |
| Chapter Four The Analysis of Vague Language in News Report | 第41-68页 |
| ·An Overview on News Report | 第41页 |
| ·News Value | 第41-44页 |
| ·Consequence | 第42页 |
| ·Timeliness | 第42页 |
| ·Prominence | 第42-43页 |
| ·Proximity | 第43页 |
| ·Unusualness | 第43页 |
| ·Interest | 第43-44页 |
| ·The Reasons for the Employment of Vague Language in News Report | 第44-48页 |
| ·In Accordance with the Rules of News Spread | 第45-46页 |
| ·In Accordance with the Readers' Psychology and Thinking Patterns | 第46-47页 |
| ·In Accordance with News policy and News Strategy | 第47-48页 |
| ·Linguistic Realization of Vague Language in News Report | 第48-52页 |
| ·Lexical Vagueness | 第48-50页 |
| ·Syntactic Vagueness | 第50-51页 |
| ·Cross-Textual Vagueness | 第51-52页 |
| ·The Analysis of Adaptation in News Report | 第52-59页 |
| ·Variability and Negotiability Displayed in the Process of Adaptation | 第53-55页 |
| ·Adaptation to the Readers' Mental States | 第55-59页 |
| ·Adaptation to the Readers' Inquiring Psychology | 第55-56页 |
| ·Adaptation to the Readers' Cognition Patterns | 第56-57页 |
| ·Adaptation to the Readers' Intention to Seek Common Ground | 第57-58页 |
| ·Adaptation to the Readers' Knowing Need | 第58-59页 |
| ·The Significance of the Application of Vague Language in News Reports | 第59-63页 |
| ·Reduce the Negative Influence | 第59-60页 |
| ·Provide Protection to Journalists and the News Source | 第60-61页 |
| ·Handle the Randomicity of Newsbreak | 第61-62页 |
| ·Strengthen the Rationality of News Forecast | 第62-63页 |
| ·The Scope of Utilization of Vague Language in News Report | 第63-68页 |
| ·Fit for Predictive Report | 第64-65页 |
| ·Summarize the News Background to Highlight the News Event | 第65-66页 |
| ·Deal with Concrete Figures | 第66-67页 |
| ·Used in Follow-Up Reports | 第67-68页 |
| Chapter Five Conclusion | 第68-71页 |
| ·Overview | 第68页 |
| ·Summary of Major Findings | 第68-69页 |
| ·The Provision of a Framework for the Analysis of News Report | 第68页 |
| ·Adaptation in News Report | 第68-69页 |
| ·The Three Properties Displayed in the Process of Adaptation | 第69页 |
| ·Limitations of the Present Study | 第69-70页 |
| ·Suggestions for Further Research | 第70-71页 |
| Bibliography | 第71-75页 |
